The
commitment followed a meeting in Tokyo between foreign ministers from Japan and
five Central Asian nations -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan
and Uzbekistan.

"We
had frank discussions to help build a stronger, richer and more open Central
Asia," Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told reporters after the
meeting, the fourth edition of the "Central Asia plus Japan dialogue"
which started in Kazakhstan in 2004.

According
to a joint statement, the projects will cover five areas -- trade investment,
environment and energy-saving, narrowing the wealth gap, regional cooperation
in stabilising Afghanistan and cooperation in disaster prevention.

"Promoting
cooperation between Japan and Central Asia will contribute to help sustain
peace and stability in Afghanistan and resolve problems in the international
community," said Gemba in an opening speech at the meeting.

Japanese
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda told the visiting ministers on Friday: "I
place importance on Central Asia which is placed in a geopolitically important
position and rich in resources and energy."

Tokyo
wants Japanese firms to play a greater role in the mineral business in the
region, which has ample reserves of crude oil, natural gas, uranium and other
natural resources, media reports said.